Computer technology has been applied to internal combustion engines for quite some time. Microprocessor control circuits have been employed to control real-time computer control of basic engine functions and parameters such as air/fuel ratio and spark ignition timing. These circuits have typically been implemented in gasoline engines.
More recently, these techniques have been applied to diesel engines. For example, the volume and timing of fuel injection has been computer controlled for improved mileage and emissions performance.
One of the problems associated with the computer control systems implemented today is that they provide no means for the end user to adjust or modify the basic performance characteristics that the manufacturer has programmed into the system. For proprietary and other reasons, the information necessary to modify the control systems is not available to the general public. Furthermore, even if such information were generally available, the technical expertise required to utilize such information would be beyond the scope of most individuals or organizations that would be interested in making such performance modifications.
Accordingly, a system enhances performance characteristics of electronically controlled engines. The system may include components that can quickly and easily be installed and used by a novice. In a particular embodiment, a system of improving performance characteristics of an internal combustion engine can include electronically coupling a fuel boost controller to a fuel delivery solenoid of a fuel injector. The boost controller can measure a timed release of fuel from an activated fuel delivery valve of the fuel delivery solenoid into a cylinder. In a particular embodiment, the activated fuel delivery valve occurs when the fuel delivery valve is closed. In another embodiment, the activated fuel delivery valve occurs when the fuel delivery valve is open.
The boost controller can activate the fuel delivery valve an extended amount of time, such as holding the valve closed, over a programmed time for injecting additional fuel over the programmed amount into the cylinder to improve the performance characteristics. In a particular embodiment, the programmed amount of time is set by the manufacturer.
In one embodiment, the extended amount of time the fuel delivery valve is activated can be determined based on a lookup table. The timing of the extended fuel delivery time can be determined based on a turbo-pressure of the engine.
A self-test may be automatically conducted upon a powering up of the fuel boost controller. The self-test may deliver feedback to the operator that the fuel boost controller is installed properly. Feedback may also be delivered to the operator when additional fuel is being injected into the cylinder. The feedback may be delivered to the operator via a light emitting diode.
The fuel boost controller may calculate the extended amount of time of fuel injection. The actual rotations per minute of the engine and an approximate amount of fuel being commanded by an engine control module and an injection pump computer can be determined. A throttle position value of the engine can further be determined by computing the ratio of the approximate amount of fuel being commanded by the engine control module and the injection pump computer to the available time for each cylinder, as computed from the rotations per minute of the engine.
The throttle position value may be averaged with values of previous throttle position values of other cylinders for removing individual cylinder variations from the averaged value. The total number of averaged values may correspond to an integer multiple of the total number of cylinders of the engine.
The desired amount of additional fuel to be delivered to each cylinder may be determined based on a lookup table. The amount of additional fuel to be delivered may be scaled by a scaling value of additional fuel as a function of the computed throttle position value. The extended amount of time to deliver the additional amount of time of fuel delivery may be computed by multiplying the scaled value by the approximate amount of fuel being commanded by the engine control module and the injection pump computer.
An average extended time may be calculated to smooth out cylinder-to-cylinder variations in fuel delivery and to delay the introduction of additional fuel during snap acceleration for reducing particulate smoke emissions.
A fuel boost controller is also provided for use with an internal combustion engine to improve performance characteristics of the same. An electronic coupler can connect the fuel boost controller to a fuel delivery solenoid of a fuel injector. A measuring routine can measure a timed release of fuel from an activated fuel delivery valve of the fuel delivery solenoid into a cylinder. A fuel delivery routine can activate the fuel delivery valve an extended amount of time over a programmed amount into the cylinder to improve the performance characteristics.
A system is further provided for enhancing performance characteristics of an engine. The system can include an engine control module for controlling operation of the engine and a plurality of sensors connectable to the engine control module for supplying engine data to the engine control module. A fuel injection pump can connect to and be driven by the engine control module to deliver a desired amount and timed delivery of fuel to an injector of each cylinder via a fuel delivery solenoid and a fuel delivery valve. A fuel boost controller can connect to the fuel delivery solenoid for measuring a timed release of fuel from an activated fuel delivery valve of the fuel delivery solenoid into a cylinder. A fuel delivery routine can activate the fuel delivery valve an extended amount of time over a programmed amount into the cylinder to improve the performance characteristics.